Board hears KISSA update and two-year plan to implement newly adopted HMH ELA curriculum

Administrators told the Garden City Public Schools board that the district’s Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KISSA) work has moved from adoption to implementation for English language arts.

School leaders said the board approved HMH as the district’s ELA curriculum in January and noted the next priority is professional learning and leader evaluation to ensure teachers use the materials with fidelity. Heather Stegman and other staff presented a scope-and-sequence for training: an April overview already completed; a July 30 day of model lessons and supported planning with HMH staff; a Sept. 28 session focused on writing, grammar and the curriculum’s technology components; and a Jan. 5 follow-up PD day informed by teacher feedback.

District staff said KSDE (state) will perform six-month check-ins and that the district’s KISSA goals are measured both by whether action steps occurred on schedule and later by student-assessment trends, including five-year graduation rates and state assessment results in subsequent years. Administrators acknowledged the work to implement materials takes more than a single year and described plans to move next into tiered supports after staff training is in place.

Josh Gimman and KISSA team members told the board the adoption process involved cohort work with nearby districts and that the district will reuse the documented adoption roadmap for future subject adoptions, including planned science materials selection.

Board members asked for clarity on measures of progress, and administrators said the six-month check-in focuses on whether the scheduled training and action items occurred rather than immediate student-performance outcomes. Staff will report back as the PD schedule unfolds and as KSDE provides feedback.